


When Tomorrow Comes

by HeartoftheWizard



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Compassionate!Merlin, Gen, No Slash, One Shot, after Aithusa, mid-Series 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-19
Updated: 2013-11-19
Packaged: 2018-01-02 01:03:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1050666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartoftheWizard/pseuds/HeartoftheWizard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A village burns to the ground, a battle between knights and bandits is being prepared for, but no matter what Arthur will always have Merlin. Just as Merlin will always have Arthur.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When Tomorrow Comes

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't watched the series in a few weeks and was longing for some Arthur and Merlin interaction, and then this was born. Originally it was supposed to be focused on Arthur and his knights leaving Merlin without any food (yet again) and when they did give him a small piece, Merlin chose to give it to a hungry child instead. Commence fluff. Oddly enough, that didn't happen, my mind took a darker turn and wrote this instead.

“Arthur?”

A weary voice from somewhere to his right called out to him but could not draw his attention away from the raging fire that was slowly engulfing an entire village before his very eyes. Bandits had surrounded and attacked Arbroa just that morning, and Arthur and his knights had been unable to reach the village quickly enough to prevent casualties, to stop the thieves from setting fire to the homes after stealing the goods.

The screams from the trapped villagers being consumed by flames would haunt him until his last breath.

“Arthur?” This time the tone was firm, and the back of a hand tapped against his shoulder. He raised a brow in question, turning to the slim figure behind him. “You need to eat.” Merlin held out a plate of fruits and rabbit meat meant only for his king. He snagged a roll from Gwaine and placed it on the plate as well. “You can’t fight these bandits on an empty stomach.”

“Yes I can.”

Merlin huffed, flopping down beside Arthur. “Well, we can’t move all of these people until they’ve been fed and are able to travel,” he looked around at some of the more distraught survivors, those that still smelled of smoke and death, “so in the meantime you should try and eat something.”

Arthur glanced down at the plate still extended towards him and abruptly turned away, “Not hungry. Take it for yourself.”

The other man shook his head in irritation and set the plate down. He leaned back against the tree trunk and watched the villagers around him try and settle into a new normal, as children raced around laughing and playing. All except for one.

Merlin saw a young boy sitting beside his mother, both fixated on the billowing smoke high in the sky. Quickly, he made a decision. Picking up the untouched plate of food, he made his way over to the two and settled down beside them. Arthur watched from a distance, knowing that it was in Merlin’s nature to help however he could, and if his own heart was weeping from the tragedy that had unfolded today, then he could only imagine that his manservant’s heart was shattered.

“Would you like something to eat?” Merlin’s voice softened when the young boy hid behind his mother’s arm at the sight of him.

The woman glanced at him and then at the plate, “We couldn’t possibly-“ Her voice was hoarse, but from the smoke from the fire or emotions, Merlin couldn’t guess.

“No, the king insists.”

All eyes turned in surprise to the sudden appearance of Arthur, whose tired face now held a hint of a smile. The young boy peeked out from behind his mother’s protection and stared avidly at the food in Merlin’s hands, before reaching out, quick as a snake, and grabbing the roll.

“Thomas!” the woman hissed, disapprovingly.

“It’s fine, the food is yours,” Arthur said, motioning for Merlin to place the plate on the ground, and then moving away from the three.

Merlin instinctively followed.

When the two were shoulder to shoulder, Arthur stretched out his hand and placed it on the back of the other man’s neck. Merlin looked over at him out of the corner of his eye, smiling, but leaning into the touch all the same.

The hand squeezed gently before releasing.


End file.
